Defining You Counseling and Consulting

07/18/2023

Repost from Hand in Hand Parenting and from Christine Derengowski, Writer 💕
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It can be a lifelong journey 🌿

♡ If you would like to be kept in the loop on everything Synergetic Play Therapy or get resources to support you on your therapist or parent journey, join us here: https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy ♡

04/26/2023

On May 6th, the University of Michigan-Flint is hosting Officer Friendly Day, which is a free family-friendly event for autistic individuals and their families. At the event community members can check out police cars, play games with a cop, enjoy food, building blocks, and other fun activities. There will also be simulated pullover experiences for any autistic individual who drives and wants to practice what to do when they get pulled over. For more information please see the flyer.

02/28/2023

A quick message about regulation.

Regulated does not mean calm.

People yelling and screaming at a sports event- that energy is ok for that setting.

Someone quiet and still when meditating- that energy is ok for that setting.

All emotions are fine and we do feel them all at one time or another.

For me personally, it’s whether I can come down from those intense emotions after the fact. Can I get back to feeling calm after I’ve had an unpleasant interaction with someone? Can I get back to calm after my kids have been screeching at each other for 5 hours? Can I return to a neutral energy state after I’ve been somewhere super exciting? I usually can’t. That energy consumes me. I feel it for the rest of the day, or even several days. This dysregulation is made worse by sensory overload, stress, and exhaustion.

The answer? Try and reduce those things as best I can. And Stimming. For me, singing and dancing is the most effective.

For more info on regulation, go check out these fine accounts:
Greg Santucci, Occupational Therapist
Perth Children's Occupational Therapy
The Well-Balanced OT
(instagram)autisticot (instagram)
The ND OT

Em ☺️✌️🌈
AuDHD SLP

ID: Image is artwork that says “Regulated means your energy levels match the task. It does not mean ‘calm’.” There’s a drawing of a kid running through the grass with a kite.

02/06/2023

01/26/2023

GREAT TIPS FOR BUILDING EMOTIONAL RESILIENCE IN KIDS

Good advice for parents, teachers and counselors!

11/29/2022

Teenagers already struggling with heavy emotions may not be looking forward to the holidays. But this Saturday workshop series from the Stay Well program shows teens how to cope with holiday stress in healthy ways. If you know a teen who could benefit, pass along this registration link: https://bit.ly/3SCal3D.

11/29/2022

Thanks Our Mama Village for a great reminder

11/18/2022

A wonderful reminder for this snowy day ❄️

10/24/2022

A good reminder for spooky season

10/10/2022

Today is World Mental Health Day. A day to make mental health & well-being for all a global priority.

https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/world-mental-health-day-is-an-opportunity-for-us-to-embrace-our-sense-of-community-and-normalize-mental-health

08/27/2022

Moving day! Excited to get everything in order and start seeing clients in our new space after Labor Day!